Scout- Cody Manning
College: Michigan
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 280 lbs
40-Time: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Arm Length: 32"
Athleticism: 8.05
Q.A.B./C.O.D. 8.50 He is light on his feet and change his direction with ease which can help him on stunts. Flexibility 7.50 He keeps his knees bent so he can win battles and at least hold his own vs big lineman Explosiveness 8.50 He has an explosive first step which can get himself in the backfield very quickly. Playing Speed 8.25 He is a faster then most defensive tackles and can move quickly between gaps. Coordination 7.50 He can overrun the runner and take himself out of a tackle, needs to get this down.
Pass Rush Ability 7.80
Initial Quickness 8.50 His initial burst allow him to get pass lineman to win the early battle to get to the QB. Use of Hands 8.00 He does a nice job at using his hands to keep the lineman from getting their hands on him. Leverage 7.00 He can have his way with lineman when he wins this battle but he can lose this at times. Pass Rush Moves 8.00 He has a variety of moves that he likes to use and is effective with them to get to the QB. Finish Ability 7.50 He uses his speed to close on the QB or runner, but can miss at times by simple move.
Competes: 7.67
Toughness 8.00 He does go to battle every play and will put up a fight against a stronger player. Consistency/Motor 8.00 He has a constant motor going as he knows his initial burst is key to him winning battles. Production 7.00 He had good production but nothing spectacular. Would like to see him with more sacks.
Against The Run 7.25
Play with Leverage 7.50 He uses his strong small stature to his advantage so he doesn’t get push around. Stack and Shed 6.50 He struggles shedding lineman to get to the runner. Relies on quickness to get around. Gap Shooting Ability 8.00 His initial burst does allow him to fill gaps or move around to assigned gaps. Run at Him 7.00 Stronger lineman can have their way with him at times and take him away from the run. Run Away 7.00 He will make an effort to get to the runner and can get them at times with his speed. Tackling/Hitting 7.50 If he is in position to make the tackle he will bring them down. He runs threw the runner.
Intelligence: 7.50
Instincts 7.00 He can hesitate at times which allows him to take himself out of plays at times. Learn/Retain 7.00 He needs to find ways to learn how to get rid of stronger lineman to make plays vs run. Teamwork 8.50 He played in the Outback Bowl even though there were questions if he would or not.
STRENGTHS
He has a quick initial burst that allows him to win the early battles versus lineman. He is light on his feet and his speed allows him to fill gaps and be a perfect defensive tackle to run a stunt with. He can close on quarterbacks and runners quickly. He keeps his knees bent so he can hold his own against bigger lineman.
WEAKNESSES
He is undersized and if bigger lineman get their hands on him then he can be taken out of the play to create a lane. He can take bad angles because of his speed so the runner needs to make one simple move to get by him. He needs to find ways to shed lineman to be effective versus the run.
BIG PICTURE
At this point he is a better fit in a 4–3 defense as a 3-technique. He is more of a pass rushing defensive tackle and may need to be relied on getting pressure on the quarterback early in his career. He can be disruptive if he is assigned to a gap and can use his speed to fill it in order to stuff a run or bounce it to the outside. Strong lineman at the next level could have their way with him if he doesn’t get the proper leverage against them. I think if he adds some size in the future he has the ability to succeed at the next level but may need to come in as a rotational player in his rookie year. I think he has first round talent but may not come in to make an impact right away. I think he is a late 1st-round to early 2nd-round pick at the moment with the potential to be a Gerald McCoy in the NFL.